VCUarts qatar’s matter diplopia evolves memories at london design biennale 2025

‘Matter Diplopia’ arrives in london design biennale 2025

Making its landmark debut at London Design Biennale 2025, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) presents Matter Diplopia. This research-led exhibition draws from collective memory, contemporary challenges, and cultural hybridity, and is set within Somerset House. Matter Diplopia is open to the public from June 5 to 29 with the pavilion showcasing nine immersive projects created by the school‘s faculty, students, and alumni. Each work prompts audiences to ‘look again’ at the material world, uncovering the deep connections between heritage, innovation, and environment. As part of the Biennale’s Surface Reflections theme, the exhibition invites reflection on how local traditions and global influences intersect to shape the landscapes, both natural and cultural, of a rapidly evolving Qatar.

‘We’re excited to present the work of our VCUarts Qatar creative research teams at the London Design Biennale. Through the efforts of nine research teams, we’ve investigated how materiality can express the complex, layered narratives that shape Qatar…a place where ancient culture and rapid modernization exist side by side,’ begins Amir Berbić, Dean, VCUarts Qatar, in an exclusive video interview with designboom.

Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) presents Matter Diplopia exhibition at the 2025 London Design Biennale (El Zaffah) | all images courtesy of VCUarts Qatar

how VCUarts qatar shapes creative practice

VCUarts Qatar is the overseas campus of the prestigious Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia, established in 1998 through a pioneering partnership with Qatar Foundation. Situated in Doha’s Education City, the school offers undergraduate and graduate programs across design, fine arts, and art history, and is home to the only academic Materials Library in the region. With state-of-the-art media and fabrication labs and a thriving culture of cross-disciplinary collaboration, the university supports globally oriented research through its Institute for Creative Research, launched in 2022 as a platform for innovative inquiry that now underpins the Matter Diplopia exhibition.

‘VCUarts Qatar is truly a gem within the Virginia Commonwealth University ecosystem. Through their bold creative approach and spirit of innovation, they’ve built an environment where art, design and creative research thrive,’ adds Dr. Rao, President, Virginia Commonwealth University.

El Zaffah offers an immersive audiovisual exploration of Arab wedding traditions, highlighting regional variations and shared cultural practices

exhibition’s interplay of sustainability and memory

At its core, Matter Diplopia positions design as a means of examining cultural identity through material form. The exhibition unfolds through three thematic pathways — Material Innovation, Cultural Narrative + Tech, and Observing Environments — each exploring how materials tell stories and adapt across time and context. From speculative environmental architecture to reinterpreted craft traditions, the projects consider how cultural narratives, sustainability, and technological engagement converge to shape our world. In line with the exhibition’s conceptual anchor—diplopia, or double vision—the works call on viewers to embrace multiple perspectives and deeper interpretations of place.

‘We’ve investigated how materiality can express the complex, layered narratives that shape Qatar… Matter Diplopia is about seeing from more than one perspective it’s an invitation to look again, to see differently and to discover how design can reveal connections we might otherwise miss. The exhibition powerfully reflects our vision, showing how art and design can break down barriers, spark new perspectives, and inspire meaningful global conversations,’ explains Amir Berbić.

Chrysalis is a kinetic air-cleaning sculpture that transforms fabric and structure into a dynamic, ‘breathing’ system

Each of the nine projects emerged through collaborative research by faculty, alumni, and students at VCUarts Qatar, reflecting the institution’s commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry and cultural engagement. Chrysalis is a kinetic air-cleaning sculpture that transforms fabric and structure into a dynamic, ‘breathing’ system, drawing in and purifying air through its rhythmic movements. While Tatreez Unbroken employs immersive media to honor the embroidery traditions of displaced Palestinian women, preserving and celebrating their cultural heritage, DUBDOUBT stands as a multisensory, dub-inspired installation that interrogates cultural appropriation through sonic and tactile experiences.

Tatreez Unbroken employs immersive media to honor the embroidery traditions of displaced Palestinian women

Project Greener Greenhouse Goes GMT is a bamboo architectural installation inspired by London’s Crystal Palace, constructed in Kenya using locally sourced materials and sustainable joinery techniques. El Zaffah on the other hand offers an immersive audiovisual exploration of Arab wedding traditions, highlighting regional variations and shared cultural practices. Drawing inspiration from role-playing games, Dunes and Dugongs examines the impact of human choices on climate change, urging reflection on environmental responsibility.

Meanwhile, Discursive Instrumentation of Urban Rhythms captures Doha’s cultural and migratory landscape through interactive instruments that blend elements into a unique urban soundscape. Similarly, Nature’s Alchemy delves into the cyclical essence of nature by exploring the significance of the date palm in the region’s cultural and religious contexts. Last but not least, Stone Plus is presented as a distinctive furniture collection that reimagines fragile Qatari stone through adaptive design, merging traditional materials with contemporary aesthetics

‘Research is a big part of who we are. Since 2022, our Institute for Creative Research has been our way of bringing that to life— it’s how we come together to explore ideas across disciplines. The works in Matter Diplopia explore a wide range of themes, from sustainable materials to digitally reimagined traditions. Some respond directly to the challenges of climate change and the resilience of nature,’ continues Berbić.

Discursive Instrumentation of Urban Rhythms captures Doha’s cultural and migratory landscape through interactive instruments that blend elements into a unique urban soundscape

For VCUarts Qatar, international platforms like the London Design Biennale represent both a showcase and a conversation—an opportunity to engage diverse audiences in dialogue with design voices from the Global South. Previous appearances at events such as Ars Electronica and the Venice Biennale have laid the groundwork for this growing global presence.

‘VCUarts Qatar’s presence in London marks another meaningful step in our ongoing international engagement’ highlights Berbić. ‘Having participated in renowned platforms like Ars Electronica in Linz, for example, and the Venice Biennale, we’re proud to continue contributing to global creative conversations.’

Nature’s Alchemy delves into the cyclical essence of nature by exploring the significance of the date palm in the region’s cultural and religious contexts

The university’s impact is reflected in its alumni network, many of whom lead cultural institutions, creative startups, and design firms across Qatar and the Gulf. More than 90 percent are currently working in creative fields or pursuing advanced studies, helping to shape the region’s design economy.

‘VCUarts Qatar is a leading voice in the country’s vibrant art and design scene. Its alumni are making their mark across fields from new media arts to fine arts, interior design, graphic design, and art history. More than 90 percent are working in the field, pursuing advanced studies, or running their own businesses. You’ll find them leading museums, launching startups, and driving the creative economy across Qatar and the Gulf,’ concludes Dr. Higginbotham, Dean, VCUarts and Special Assistant to the Provost for the School of the Arts in Qatar, to designboom.

DUBDOUBT stands as a multisensory, dub-inspired installation that interrogates cultural appropriation through sonic and tactile experiences

Greener Greenhouse Goes GMT is a bamboo architectural installation inspired by London’s Crystal Palace, constructed in Kenya using locally sourced materials and sustainable joinery techniques

project info: 

institute: VCUarts Qatar | @vcuqatar

exhibition title: Matter Diplopia

theme: Surface Reflections

location: Somerset House, London

dates: June 5 – 29, 2025

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